Rowan County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Rowan County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Rowan County Well below averageLess wealthy than 79% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Rowan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,857 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,918 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.7% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.5% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Rowan County is about 13% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Rowan County (5.5%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Rowan County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Rowan County, Kentucky grew by 81.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,857 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Rowan County
| Metric | Rowan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.585 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,679 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,213 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.0% | 19.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Rowan County, it is 0.585, higher than Kentucky's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Rowan County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $226,310 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Rowan County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 24% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,124 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Rowan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.5% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 476 people are unemployed in Rowan County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Rowan County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Rowan County, Kentucky has fallen from 6.3% to 4.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.9% in 2020.
Rowan County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Rowan County, KY is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 24,578 residents against a local median of 12,851. Rowan County, KY's unemployment, at 4.1%, runs 37% below the 6.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $55,857 against a local median of $48,527, 15% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Rowan County, KY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 5.4% on unemployment, so Rowan County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Rowan County, KY has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan County, KY | 24,578 | $55,857 #1/6 | 5.5%/yr #3/6 | 4.1% #3/6 | 0.585 #4/6 |
| Menifee County, KY | 6,230 | $45,192 | 3.3%/yr | 7.9% | 0.531 |
| Morgan County, KY | 14,053 | $48,527 | 5.0%/yr | 3.1% | 0.604 |
| Bath County, KY | 12,851 | $55,179 | 5.9%/yr | 2.5% | 0.540 |
| Fleming County, KY | 15,323 | $49,159 | 4.2%/yr | 7.5% | 0.546 |
| Elliott County, KY | 7,307 | $45,833 | 6.5%/yr | 6.5% | 0.650 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Rowan County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Rowan County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Rowan County, Kentucky?
Rowan County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $55,857, about 13% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Rowan County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Rowan County, Kentucky rose 82%, from $30,751 to $55,857. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +82% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Rowan County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Rowan County, Kentucky was $55,115, up 10% from $50,059 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Rowan County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Rowan County, Kentucky was $41,718. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $55,857.
What is the Gini coefficient in Rowan County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Rowan County is 0.585. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Rowan County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Rowan County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 24% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,124 since 2009.
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